Written question asked by Lord Brady of Altrincham (Conservative) on Wednesday, 3 September 2008, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 10 September 2008. It was answered by Lord Coaker (Labour) on Monday, 29 September 2008 on behalf of the Home Office.

Drugs: Misuse

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the cost of testing people committing trigger offences as defined in Schedule 6 of the Criminal Justice and Court Services Act 2000 for the presence of a specified class A drug was in the most recent year for which figures are available; and what estimate she has made of the annual cost of extending testing for class A drugs to those committing other public order offences.

Answer: [holding answer 10 September 2008]: Drug testing of people who have committed trigger offences as defined in Schedule 6 of the Criminal and Court Services Act 2000 for specified Class A drugs is conducted in authorised police stations across England and Wales as part of the Drug Interventions Programme (DIP).This drug testing is funded directly by the Home Office to the 23 police force areas authorised to carry out DIP drug testing.In 2007-08 the Government invested some £26.5 million in DIP drug testing. Over 80 per cent. of this investment funded the police to run DIP drug testing operations and the remaining 20 per cent. is spent on the provision of drug screening kits and confirmatory test analysis.Around 224,000 tests were carried out in 2007-08 including 1,232 tests authorised by a police officer of inspector rank or above for public order offences.The Home Office has not made any estimates on the annual cost of extending DIP drug testing to those committing public order offences.

Secondary information